britishtennis.com - The British Tennis Website History of Tennis Lets take a step back in time. Below we have identified key moments in tennis history. Cream boxes containing the General heading represent general tennis history facts, while green boxes containing the Wimbledon heading represent specific moments in Wimbledon history. All facts are listed in chronological order (if read as newspaper columns) for your convenience. Enjoy! 12th Century General: Origins trace back to French game called "Paume" ("Palm"), where players hit a small ball over a net by hand. 16th Century General: The racket was actually invented in Italy in 1583. General: Paume evolved into "Jeu de Paume" ("Game of Palm") and a racket was used instead of a hand. 1873 General: Major Walter Wingfield invented the game called "Sphairistik�" (Greek for "playing ball") and first introduced it to Wales (UK). Played on hour-glass shaped courts on Manor House lawns by wealthy English people. This is truly where modern tennis evolved.

General: The game soon became known as "tennis", thought to come from the French word "tenir" ("hold this"), "tendere" ("to hold"), or "tenez" ("to take"). The precise origins are unknown. 1875 Wimbledon: Henry Cavendish Jones convinced the All England Croquet Club to replace a croquet court with a lawn tennis court. Marylebone Cricket Club followed suit. Wimbledon: Marylebone Cricket Club made significant changes to the game. They added Deuce , Advantage , and 2 chances per serve. The hourglass-shaped court also changed to a rectangular court, identical to the measurements we use today! 1877 Wimbledon: The very first World Tennis Championship was held in 1877 at Worple Road in Wimbledon (United Kingdom), the true home of tennis! The sponsors were the All England Croquet Club. Only 22 players entered the Mens Singles, which was the only event. Spectators paid a mere one shilling to watch the final. The winner of this mens event was Spencer Gore, who aparently speculated that it would not catch on because it was too boring!

1880 Wimbledon: The Overhead Smash was introduced into the game by the Renshaw brothers. They would dominate Wimbledon for a decade, winning all but 1880 and 1887 championships between them. 1881 General: The United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) is founded, and the first U.S. Championships are played. 1884 Wimbledon: The Wimbledon Championships are open to women for the first time. There are only 13 participants. Mens doubles was also introduced for the first time. 1887 General: The U.S. Championships are open to women for the first time. 1887 Wimbledon: Lottie Dod of England wins the Wimbledon Ladies Singles title for the first of 5 times between 1887 and 1893. She is the youngest player to win a singles event at the age of only 15 years and 285 days. 1888 General: Our very own Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is founded in order to maintain the new rules and standards of tennis. 1891 General: The first French Championships are played.

However, they rule these Championships are only open to French residents - trust the French! 1897 General: The French Championships are open to women for the first time. 1899 Wimbledon: The All England Croquet Club changed it's name to the All England Tennis & Croquet Club. 1900 General: The first Davis Cup Tournament is held. 1905 General: The first Australasian Championships are played. Only twice between 1905 and 1925 were the Championships held outside Australia (in New Zealand). 1905 Wimbledon: May Sutton won the Ladies Singles at Wimbledon, and was the first international tennis player to win at Wimbledon. Wimbledon: The Doherty brothers (Laurie and Reggie) won the Wimbledon Mens Doubles title for a record eigth time. Ironically, they were both born in Wimbledon! 1907 Wimbledon: Norman Brookes of Australia became the first international Wimbledon Mens Singles champion. 1908 Wimbledon: Mrs Charlotte Sterry of Great Britain became the oldest Wimbledon Ladies Singles champion at the age of 37 years and 282 days.

1909 Wimbledon: Arthur Gore of Great Britain became the oldest Wimbledon Mens Singles champion at the age of 41 years and 182 days. 1912 General: The International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) is born with an aim of operating the 4 major tennis Championships (Wimbledon, U.S., Australasian, and French). 1920 Wimbledon: Suzanne Lenglen of France became the first player to win the triple crown of Ladies Singles, Ladies Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. Wimbledon: Building works for a new Wimbledon Championships tournament to be located on Church Street had started. The total cost of this development would cost �140,000ukp 1922 General: The Australasian Championships are open to women for the first time. 1922 Wimbledon: The new Wimbledon Championships located on Church Street was open for business. Prince Albert and the Prince of Wales were at the grand opening. The new arena had a capacity 14,000. 1925 General: Finally the pathetic "French residents only" rule is dropped by the French Championships!

As the Australasian Championships were predominantly held in Australia anyway, they became the Australian Championships and would only be hosted in Australia. 1927 Wimbledon: The idea of seeding players was introduced for the first time. 1928 General: The Stade Roland Garros hosts the French Championships for the first time. 1930 General: One-piece Ash wood tennis rackets are replaced by laminated wood. 1934 Wimbledon: Fred Perry and Miss Dorothy Round won both the Wimbledon Mens and Ladies Singles titles. It has so far proven to be the last British double. 1936 Wimbledon: Fred Perry of Great Britain became Wimbledon Mens Singles champion for the third successive year. This is the last time a British player has won the Wimbledon Mens Singles title. 1938 General: The first tennis player to complete the Grand Slam of all 4 Championships in the same year was the American Don Budge. 1940 Wimbledon: From 1940 to 1945 World War II put a hold on the Wimbledon and French Championships. It was in October 1940 that a Centre Court was hit by a bomb. Fortunately no lives were lost, but we did lose 1200 seats.

1941 General: From 1941 to 1945 the Australian Championships are put on hold. 1946 Wimbledon: Wimbledon and French Championships are open for business once again! 1949 Wimbledon: Fashion designer Ted Tinling created a dress for the American Gertrude "Gussy" Moran that would shock Wimbledon. Her lace-trimmed knickers were front-page news worldwide, and were even the subject of debate in Parliament! 1950 General: The Pro Tour created by Jack Kramer kicks off and becomes extremely popular with both amateur tennis players and the public. 1953 The first woman to complete the Grand Slam of all 4 Championships was Maureen Connelly. 1962 Wimbledon: The Australian Rod Laver wins the Wimbledon Mens Singles title on his way to securing his first of two Grand Slam titles! 1967 General: The first metal tennis racket appears thanks to Wilson! 1967 Wimbledon: Wimbledon was shown on colour television for the first time thanks to the BBC. 1968 General: The "Open Era" of tennis begins. From now on all tennis players regardless of professional or amateur status will compete in the same tennis tournaments.

1969 General: Having completed his first Grand Slam in 1962 Rod Laver collects his second in 1969. He is the only tennis player in history to have achieved two Grand Slams. 1970 General: Jack Kramer introduces a points system for tennis tournaments. Players earn points depending on how far they go in tournaments and at the end of the season prize money is distributed to those who have accumulatedthe most points. 1970 General: The Tie-break was invented by Jimmy van Allen in the late 1960s, and was then introduced at the US Open following a successful trial period at Newport, R.I. The winner of the tie-break was the first person to reach five points. 1971 Wimbledon: The Tie-break was introduced at Wimbledon, and came into effect if the score in games reached 8-8 in any set except the final set. 1972 General: The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) is formed by professional tennis players, and Jack Kramer is chosen as Executive Director. 1973 Wimbledon: Wimbledon is boycotted by the ATP following the suspension of Yugoslav Nikki Pilic.

1975 Wimbledon: The first time players were allowed chairs on court to allow them to rest during a change of ends. 1976 General: The first graphite and fiberglass tennis rackets appear on the scene thanks to Howard Head of Prince. Wimbledon: The Swedish player Bj�rn Borg won his 1st singles title. 1977 Wimbledon: Virginia Wade was the last British tennis player to win Wimbledon when she won the Ladies Singles title. Wimbledon: The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum opened. 1979 Wimbledon: Billie Jean King won the Wimbledon Ladies Doubles title, which totalled a record 20 titles in all (6 Ladies Singles, 10 Ladies Doubles, and 4 Mixed Doubles). Wimbledon: The Tie-break rule was to come into play at a score in games of 6-6 (instead of 8-8), with the exception of final sets. 1980 Wimbledon: The longest Tie-break at Wimbledon was in the 1980 Mens Singles Final between John McEnroe (USA) and Bj�rn Borg (Sweden), with a score of 18-16 in favour of Bj�rn Borg.

Wimbledon: The mighty Swede Bj�rn Borg secures his 5th consecutive Wimbledon Mens Singles title. Wimbledon: Tennis was played at Wimbledon on Sunday for the first time. 1985 Wimbledon: Boris Becker of Germany was the youngest ever and first unseeded Wimbledon Mens Singles champion at the age of only 17 years and 227 days. 1990 Wimbledon: Martina Navratilova became the Wimbledon Ladies Singles champion for a record ninth time. 1994 General: Martina Navratilova retires from singles tennis, having won a record 167 singles titles, a record 1438 matches won, and an amazing 9 Wimbledon titles! Wimbledon: Tim Henman was disqualified during a Wimbledon Mens Doubles match after hitting a ball in anger and striking a ball girl (accidentally of course). 1996 Wimbledon: Martina Hingis of Switzerland was the youngest ever Wimbledon champion when she won the Ladies Doubles in 1996 at the age of only 15 years and 282 days. 2001 Wimbledon: Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia became the first Wimbledon Wildcard in history to win the Mens Singles title.

2002 General: Venus and Serena Williams become the first sisters in history to be ranked #1 and #2 in the WTA world rankings list respectively. 2003 General: Pete Sampras retires from tennis at a US Open farewell ceremony. He won 64 singles titles (4th highest ever) including a record 14 Grand Slam titles - 2 Australian Open, 5 US Open and 7 Wimbledon. 2004 General: Roger Federer becomes the first man since Mats Wilander in 1988 to win three of the four grand slam events (Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open) in a calendar year. He also captured an ATP-best 11 titles in as many finals, including the end-of-season Masters Cup. And also set an Open Era record by winning 13 consecutive finals (dating back to 2003), surpassing Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe who won 12 straight finals. 2005 General: Roger Federer's 25-match winning streak (the longest in men's tennis since 1984) ended at the hands of 18-year-old Richard Gasquet in Monte Carlo.

2006 General: The greatest showman in tennis history - Andre Agassi - retires on 3 September 2006 following a 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5 defeat to Benjamin Becker (GER) in the third round of the US Open. 2007 General: Roger Federer becomes the first athlete to be named Sportsman of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards for the third time. Roger said: "It is a great honour for me to recieve this award for the third straight year." 2007 General: Roger Federer become the first Swiss national alive to be honoured through a stamp issue. The one Swiss franc stamp (�0.4; $0.8) shows Federer holding the Wimbledon trophy. Roger said: "It's a great moment. I'm proud to be a symbol like the army knife or the mountains." 2007 General: On the 19 May, Raphael Nadal claims 81 straight wins on clay to set a new all surface record. His run was ended by Roger Federer in the Hamburg Masters final the following day.

2007 General: On the 9 September, Roger Federer became the first man since Bill Tilden in the 1920s to win four US Open titles in a row, beating Novak Djokovic 7-6(4) 7-6(2) 6-4 in the final. 2008 General: Roger Federer became the longest serving consecutive World No.1 with 237 days. His reign lasted from 2 February 2004 until 17 August 2008 when he was succeeded by Rafael Nadal. 2008 General: On 21 October, Laura Robson became the youngest British tennis player in history on the main tour at age 14. Her debut was against 25-year-old world number 42 Iveta Benesova at the Fortis Championships in Luxembourg - wildcard. Despite taking the opening set, Laura was defeated 1-6 6-2 6-3. 2009 General: On 20 April, Marat Safin and Dinara Safina became the first brother and sister to reach world number one.

Marat became achieved the top ranking on 20 November 2000. 2009 General: On 7 June, Roger Federer became arguably the greatest tennis player of all time with his victory at the French Open. Federer joins Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Andre Agassi as winner of all four Grand Slam titles, and equals the 14 Grand Slam titles claimed by Pete Sampras - who never managed to win on the clay of Roland Garros. 2010 Wimbledon: There were no English men in the Wimbledon singles draw for the first time in its 133-year history. Representing Great Britain were only 2 Scots Andy Murray and Jamie Baker (wildcard). 2011 General:30 January, Andy Murray makes tennis history, by becoming the first player never to win a set in 3 Grand Slam finals.

- Lost 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to Novak Djokovic, Australian Open 2011 - Lost 6�3, 6�4, 7�6(11) to Roger Federer, Australian Open 2010 - Lost 6�2, 7�5, 6�2 to Roger Federer, US Open 2008 2012 Wimbledon/Olympics: On 3 August the longest singles match in Olympic history was held at Wimbledon during London 2012. Roger Federer defeated Juan Martin Del Potro 3-6 7-6(5) 19-17 in 4hrs 26mins. 2014 General: 21 March, Jarkko Nieminen of Finland secured the fastest ATP Tour win record by beating the Australian Bernard Tomic 6-0 6-1 in 28 minutes and 20 seconds at the Sony Open. The record was previously held by Briton Greg Rusedski who defeated the German Carsten Arriens in 29 minutes at the Sydney International in 1996.

Who was really the last British winner of a Wimbledon final? - Mirror Online Sport Who was really the last British winner of a Wimbledon final? Who were the last British players to claim Wimbledon titles in the men's singles, women's singles, mens doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles events? We bring you right up to speed Share Triple crown: Fred Perry claimed three consecutive titles between 1934-1936 (Photo: Hulton Archive) Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Andy Murray will carry the weight of history and a nation on his shoulders tomorrow as he steps out on Centre Court to face Roger Federer . While the Swiss ace has clocked up six Wimbledon titles by himself already, British tennis fans have had few final triumphs to cheer. But we have had some Wimbledon winners, so here is our rundown of the last British winners in Wimbledon finals... Men's singles final No Brit man has won the men's singles event at Wimbledon since Fred Perry sealed a hat-trick of titles in 1936.

Until Murray's win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Friday, Bunny Austin was the last Brit to get there - in 1938. (Photo: Getty) Andy Murray plays Roger Federer in this year's final as the first Brit to reach the Wimbledon men's final in 74 years. It's a far cry from 1877 to 1904 where every final was contested by the British. Australian Norman Brookes crashed the party as runner up in 1905 before winning in 1907. How brash of him. (Photo: Wikipedia) No British woman has won the ladies' singles since Virginia Wade did so in 1977. (Photo: Getty) Women's doubles Virginia Wade was runner up with French player Francoise Durr in 1970, following Ann Haydon Jones - also with Francoise Durr - in 1968. (Durr was a losing doubles finalist six times without ever winning). Anglea Buxton was the last Brit to win the title with American Althea Gibson in 1956.

The best year was 1955, when all four finalists were Brits with Angela Mortimer and Anne Shilcock beating Patricia Ward Hales and Shirley Brasher Broomer. Those were the days. (Photo: Getty) Mixed doubles Andy's older brother Jamie Murray won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2007 with Jelena Jankovic. He was the first Briton to do so since the all-British triumph of Jeremy Bates and Jo Durie in 1987. (Photo: Getty) Wheelchair Ladies' finals Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley became the first all-British wheelchair tennis pair to reach a Wimbledon final this year. They play Griffoen and Van Koot on Sunday. (Photo: Getty) Wimbledon Mens Players | Mens Singles Champions | Andy Murray | Roger Federer Mens Players Wimbledon Mens Singles We take a look at the mens singles competition, providing background and chances of the players for the 2011 tournament at the All England Club. Many Tennis fans would argue that Wimbledon is the toughest of the four majors to win as it is the only one played on a grass surface. The winner must therefore be versatile in handling the different challenges that playing on grass poses.

Please check here for details of the 2010 Wimbledon mens seedings . The 2011 Men’s singles at Wimbledon promises yet again to be as exciting as ever with Roger Federer favourite in the Wimbledon mens singles betting to win the crown once again afre beating Andy Roddick last year. Nadal’s victory in 2008 prevented Federer from becoming the first man in Wimbledon history to record six straight wins, he will be back at SW19 for the first time since and desperate to regain his crown. In some media circles Federer was being written off last year, but he came back to the top when he won the US Open Tennis for the fifth straight year, defeating Britain's Andy Murray in the final. He then lost to Nadal in the Australian Open final in another five set epic, before achieving his greatest moment in tennis, when he won the French Open title for the first time. That win gave him a record equalling fourteen Grand Slams a record he shares with, Sampras and he also became the first man since Andre Agassi to win all four Grand Slam titles.

We think that Federer should win once more this year but the following players all have chances Robin Soderling Fred Perry - The last British Mens Single Champion Fred Perry was the last British mens single champion at Wimbledon when he won the title for the third and final time in 1936. Perry, had won the previous two mens singles titles at the 1934 and 1935 Championship and despite being some years ago reports suggest that he was one of the greatest ever Wimbledon champions. Can Scot, Andy Murray emulate the great man this year? Murray has been in outstanding form this year and won the the title at Queens Club last week. He has shot up to number three in the world rankings and is third favourite to win in the mens singles betting. He reached the quarter finals last year where he was beaten by Rafa Nadal. Tim Henman remains the only British player to get to the semi finals in recent years, he achieved this four times in total. Modern Era Mens Wimbledon Champions In recent years, some of the biggest names in mens Tennis have lifted the famous Mens Singles trophy.

Four times champion Rod Laver was the first male to claim the title in the open era in 1968 and 1969. Fellow Australian John Newcombe won back to back championships in 1970 and 1971 before Bjorn Borg won four consecutive titles between 1976 - 79. During the 80s, the Wimbledon mens singles title was won by great names such as John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, all who won the title on more than one occasion during the decade. American great Pete Sampras dominated the title in the 90s winning the mens singles crown a total of seven times between 1993 and 2000, only Richard Krajicek stopped him from winning a Wimbledon record eight straight titles. In recent years, the mens singles game has been all about Roger Federer who has won the last four Wimbledon mens singles championships and the Swiss star shows no signs of slowing down his dominance of the mens game. Past Wimbledon Mens Singles Winners 1980 B.

Borg (Sweeden) Andy Murray becomes first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years after beating Djokovic in straight sets | Daily Mail Online He's done it! Murray the Magnificent becomes first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years after beating Djokovic in straight sets Andy Murray from Dunblane, Scotland, becomes the first British Wimbledon champion since Fred Perry in 1936 He said the 15,000-strong crowd helped him through some tough battles on the court right up to his victory today Conditions were tough on Centre Court for both players in SW London as temperatures soared to more than 30C Girlfriend Kim Sears was at the forefront of the supporters in the players' box with Judy Murray, the Scot's mother Prime Minister David Cameron, Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper, and footballer Wayne Rooney also in the crowd The History Of The Championships, Wimbledon, Wimbledon History How did it all begin? The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club was founded in 1868 and is responsible for the world's leading tennis tournament.

Lawn tennis, originally known as ‘Sphairistike, was invented by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield and was introduced at the Club in 1875. Two years later, the Club was renamed “The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club” and the first ever Lawn Tennis Championship took place. A new code of laws was drawn up and most of these laws still stand today. During this first Championship, only one event took place; the Men’s Singles, which was won by Spencer Gore. Around 200 spectators paid one shilling each to watch the final. Just five years later, in 1882, the Club’s main activity became lawn tennis and so in 1884, the All England Club (by this point the word “croquet” had been dropped from their name) decided to add two further events; the Ladies' Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles (Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles were added in 1913). By the early 1900s the Club had outgrown its home in Worple Road , Wimbledon , where it had been since its formation.

A lot had changed since the first ever Lawn Tennis Championship in 1877 (in which the final attracted 200 spectators) and the old grounds were no longer able to cope with the huge crowds who flocked to the event each year. And so, in 1920, the decision to move was taken. A site was chosen just a mile or so from the Worple Road site – and the major undertaking of designing and constructing the new Centre Court began. Well known architect Captain Stanley Peach was commissioned to design the new Centre Court . To convince the Club’s Committee, he built a huge scale model of Centre Court . His original blueprints for the Centre Court still exist (discovered recently in a basement storage area of the offices of Stanley Peach & Co). A driving force throughout the project was Commander George Hillyard, secretary of the Club since 1907 and once a men’s doubles finalist.

Hillyard collaborated with Peach on the ambitious design and his mission for the Club was clear: ‘‘Let us look to it that we construct and equip our ground that it will immediately be recognised as the finest, not only in England Wimbledon is acknowledged to be the World’s premier tennis tournament and a Long Term Plan was unveiled in 1993 by the All England Lawn Tennis Club, which will improve the quality of the event for spectators, players, officials and neighbours in years to come. The first stage of the Plan was completed in time for the 1997 Championships and involved building the new No. 1 Court, a Broadcast Centre, two extra grass courts, and a tunnel under the hill to link Church Road Somerset Road . The second stage involved the removal of the old No. 1 Court complex in order to make way for the new Millennium Building to provide extensive facilities for the players, press, officials and Members, and also the extension of the West Stand of Centre Court, creating a further 728 seats.

The third stage is currently under way with the recent redevelopment of the turnstile area, the construction of the new Museum Building at Gate 3, a permanent 2,600 sq ft Wimbledon Shop, Club offices and Ticket Office, an increase in Centre Court capacity from 13800 to 15000, and a new restaurant and bars. Rain has frequently interrupted play at The Championships and so this year, for the first time, a new retractable roof will be in use on Centre Court . During The Championships, this roof is to be kept primarily closed in an attempt to protect play from inclement. 2009 also sees an increase in the court’s capacity to 15,000 and the installation of new, wider padded seating for the comfort of the spectators. Wimbledon Over the years, Wimbledon has developed many unique traditions, including: strawberries and cream , royal patronage, a strict dress code for competitors, and ball boys and girls. However, one not so popular tradition of the rain stopping play should hopefully be avoided in 2009, with the installation of a retractable roof on Centre Court .

This will come as a relief after the 2008 Men’s Final lasted 7 hours, ending in darkness and making it the longest Men’s Final in history. The British are very proud of the tournament and such unique traditions help emphasise this fact but something we are no doubt less proud of is the fact that the Singles event hasn’t actually been won by a British man since Fred Perry in 1936 or a British woman since Virginia Wade in 1977. Previous FRED PERRY 1934, 1935, 1936 Ever since becoming world table-tennis champion as a 20-year-old in 1929 Fred Perry, the son a Labour MP, had set his sights on becoming as dominant on the larger stage. He had been playing the game for only seven years when in 1934, aged 25, he won the first of his three consecutive singles titles at Wimbledon . His 1934 victory was against Crawford, the holder, in three sets in the final. The following year, he mastered the German, Baron Gottfried von Cramm, in the final in three sets.

In 1936, Perry beat Don Budge in the semi-finals and in the final (the last singles Perry played in the Championships) he again beat von Cramm in straight sets. There never was a more effectively forceful British player. At Wimbledon he took three successive titles and won 21 consecutive singles. The record stood until Björn Borg, arrived on the scene in the 1970s and Perry was the first to congratulate him. BJöRN BORG 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 Never in the history of lawn tennis did any player accomplish so much and in so brief a time as the Swede, Björn Borg. He was more coolly dominating and ruthless at Wimbledon than any previous modern challenger, precociously successful in Paris and on clay courts, clinically efficient in the Davis Cup and entirely a sporting phenomenon. Only the US title was to escape his grasp: he lost in the final four times.

Having won the junior tournament at Wimbledon in 1972 aged 16, it was in 1976 at his fourth attempt that Borg wove the first major strands in his unique Wimbledon tapestry. He lost a set to no-one, his victims including Guillermo Vilas, the hard serving Roscoe Tanner in the semis and the touch genius Ilie Nastase in the final. It would not be until 1981 that he next lost at Wimbledon . The span was from 1st July 1975, when Ashe beat him in the quarter finals, to 4th July 1981 with McEnroe his victor in the final: 41 matches in a continuity of victory and five successive titles! After the first Borg’s subsequent titles were more onerously gained. In 1977, he overcame the American Vitas Gerulaitis in a brilliant five set semi final. In the final he survived in a five-setter against Jimmy Connors. In 1978 Borg made an awkward start in his opening match but proceeded dominantly to the final beating Connors again, this time quite easily.

In 1979, the final also had the champion against the ropes, before Borg beat Tanner in five sets. In 1980 Borg had his notable confrontation with McEnroe in the final. It was among the best ever played at that stage. Borg won the final set by 8-6 to be champion for the fifth time. In 1981, though McEnroe at last got his hands on the famous gold cup with a victory in four sets. For Borg it was virtually the end. Only 25, the years of intense effort had taken their toll. Later, in 1981, he suddenly retired from the mainstream. Idolised by young spectators and awesomely admired by all, Borg’s legacy was immense. His example made the double fisted backhand and patience an orthodoxy. His coolness under pressure, his speed about the court, his utter dependability from the back of the court through the use of heavy topspin, his fast reflexes on the volley, his formidable serve, his bloody-minded refusal to lose – all these attributes, honed to perfection by coach Lennart Bergelin – pointed the way forward.

Björn Borg ranks as one of the giants of the game. PAT CASH 1987 Born in Melbourne, Australia in 1965, Patrick Hart Cash first came into the tennis spotlight in the early 1980s, and in 1981, he was ranked the top junior tennis player in the world. The following year, Cash won the junior titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open and the same year, he turned professional, going on to win his first top-level singles title in Melbourne. He soon established a reputation as a hard-fighting serve-and-volleyer and for wearing his trademark black-and-white checked headband and his cross earring. In 1983, aged just 17, he became the youngest player ever to win a singles Davis Cup final and a year later he reached the men’s singles semi-finals at both Wimbledon and the US Open, losing to John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl respectively. He was also the runner-up in the Men’s Doubles competition at Wimbledon with McNamee and again the following year with Fitzgerald.

In 1986, Cash claimed a 3-2 victory over Swede, Mikael Pernfors, in the Davis Cup and just a year later came the crowning in moment of his career, his triumph at the 1987 Wimbledon Championship, beating World No.1, Ivan Lendl in straight sets. This victory made him one of only a handful of players to win junior Wimbledon and senior Wimbledon singles titles (others include Stefan Edberg and Roger Federer). Pat Cash continued on the full-time circuit until his retirement in 1997, despite Achilles tendon, knee and back injuries. Since retiring, Cash now lives in London and has coached many top players, including Greg Rusedski and Mark Philippoussis. Also during his retirement, he has opened a number of tennis academies and for The 2009 Championships, Keith Prowse is delighted to offer the exclusive opportunity for our guests to play tennis with Pat Cash on the morning of their visit to The Championships at the Speakeasy venue ; thereafter, Pat will join guests to discuss the order of play, his thoughts on the current players and sign autographs.

ROGER FEDERER 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 The career of Roger Federer is still unfinished. By the close of 2008, still only 27, the Swiss superstar has already achieved tennis immortality. His total of 13 Grand Slam victories among the men is second only to Pete Sampras’s 14. By reaching the final of ten consecutive Grand Slam championships and winning Wimbledon and the US Open back-to-back four times in a row, he set records that may never be equalled. Until overtaken by Rafael Nadal in August 2008, Federer had been ranked number l in the world for 237 consecutive weeks. There was early evidence that Roger had exceptional talent: in 1998 he won the junior singles and doubles titles at Wimbledon (only two others have done that). He also beat 17 times champion Pete Sampras in the fourth round at Wimbledon Two years later he joined Björn Borg, Pat Cash and Stefan Edberg as Wimbledon ’s only junior champions who went on the win the men’s singles.

His victories over Andy Roddick in the semi final and Mark Philippousis now placed him at the top of the game. Between 2004 and 2007, the confidence factor lifted Federer to another level. His further Wimbledon final victims have been Andy Roddick (2004 and 2005) and Rafael Nadal (2006 and 2007). His five wins in a row equalled Björn Borg’s record in the 1980s and the Swede was present on Centre Court in the Royal Box to witness Federer’s feat in 2007. Even when his reign came to an end in 2008 at the hands of an inspired Nadal, Federer produced a performance of heroic proportions as he came back from two sets down and saved two match points in the fourth-set tiebreak before going down 9 7 in the fifth set of a compelling battle full of glorious shot making. Two months later, a fifth consecutive US Open triumph saved Federer’s year. A natural athlete, Federer’s speed of thought and movement, when allied to an abundant talent with the racket, give him options that others envy.

Many consider that we have been witnessing the greatest striker of a tennis ball who ever lived. As with Sampras, however, there is one piece still missing; the French Open title on clay has eluded his grasp, losing three finals in a row to Rafael Nadal. Perhaps his two finest weapons are his serve and his forehand. Both are hit with easy grace; both are deadly. A strong right wrist allows him to apply fizzing topspin on the forehand when necessary to create sharp angles; it also produces heavy slice or topspin on the serve. Federer has reminded us all how beautiful this game can be. British Tennis Players As one of the four major tennis tournaments, and possibly the toughest, Wimbledon is the tournament that all players set out to win during their career. Winning a singles title at the Championships automatically assures that a player goes down in Wimbledon tennis history. The first Wimbledon Men’s Singles champion was British player, Spencer Gore, who won the first title back in 1877 and for the next 40 years, British males dominated the title. This was probably due to that fact that it was predominantly British males who entered the Championships in its early years.

However, between 1907 and 1912 this trend changed and Australian players, Norman Brookes and Arthur Wilding, kick-started the dominance of international male players. Since then, few British tennis players have earned the title Men’s Singles Champion. Fred Perry was the last British Men’s Singles Champion, winning the title for the third and final time in 1936. This is something which has become a long-standing joke among the British media in the weeks preceding the Championship as over the years, many British players have tried and failed to win the title. Virginia Wade was the last British tennis player to win Wimbledon , winning the Ladies Singles title in the tournament’s centenary year. Throughout her long and successful career she won three Grand Slam singles titles and four Grand Slam doubles titles but winning Wimbledon in 1977 was the pinnacle of her career Since Wade, no British play has won the Championships but perhaps the player who has come closest to claiming the title in recent years is Tim Henman. Henman appeared in four semi finals of Wimbledon ; however, he never managed to get into a final. Andy Murray is currently ranked the highest British player.

In 2006, Murray reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time and last year he was knocked out at the quarter finals stage by eventual champion, Rafael Nadal. Could he become Britain ’s next Wimbledon Champion in 2009? When Does The Tournament Take Place ? Every year, the tournament begins on the Monday which falls between 20 and 26 June and is scheduled to last 14 days. Traditionally, there is no play on the “Middle Sunday” as this is considered to be a rest day. This tradition has only been broken three times in the history of the Championships; in 1991, 1997 and 2004, when rain forced play. The Grounds All of the nineteen courts which are used for Wimbledon are made of rye grass and the two main courts, Centre Court and No. 1 Court, are usually only used for the two weeks of the Championships (although under exceptional circumstances, play can be extended into a third week). The other seventeen courts are used throughout the year for other events. Today, Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam event still played on grass courts.

opened in 1922 when the Club moved from Worple Road to Church Road . It usually plays host to both the semi-finals and the finals of each of the main events, as well as many of the earlier matches. At the south end of the court is the Royal Box from which members of the Royal Family and other dignitaries are able to watch. No.1 Court The second most important court is No. 1 Court. The current court was built in 1997 with an increased capacity of 11,000 Ball boys and ball girls Each year, ball boys and girls play an essential role in the smooth running of The Championships and since 1969 have been provided by local schools, having an average age of 15. Prospective candidates are nominated by their headteacher and must undergo and series of written and fitness tests before being selected Wimbledon Dark green and purple are the traditional colours of Wimbledon . Until 2005, Green clothing was worn by the chair umpire, linesmen, ball boys and ball girls but in 2006 a new navy blue and cream uniform designed by Ralph Lauren was introduced. Trophies The Men’s Singles champion receives a silver gilt cup.

This trophy has been awarded since 1887 and bears the inscription: "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World." The Ladies' Singles champion receives a sterling silver salver commonly known as the "Venus Rosewater Dish". The salver is decorated with figures from mythology. Winners of the Men's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events receive silver cups. The runner-up in each event receives an inscribed silver plate. The trophies are usually presented by the President of the All England Club, The Duke of Kent, and by his sister, Princess Alexandra, the Honourable Lady Ogilvy. Hospitality at Murray becomes first British man to win Wimbledon singles since 1936 | TENNIS.com Murray becomes first British man to win Wimbledon singles since 1936 by: AP July 07, 2013 AP Photo LONDON -- From the lawns of Wimbledon to the lochs of Scotland, all of Britain can celebrate. Andy Murray made it possible Sunday, winning his country's hallowed tennis tournament to become the first British man in 77 years to raise the trophy at the All England Club.

Yes, this was history, and Murray's 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 victory over top-seeded Novak Djokovic was a fitting close to nearly eight decades of British frustration in its own backyard: A straight-setter, yes, but a hard-fought, 3-hour, 9-minute affair filled with long, punishing rallies and a final game that may have felt like another 77 years, with Murray squandering three match points before finally putting it away after four deuces. Certainly, the endgame must have felt like torture to the 15,000 watching on Centre Court, the thousands more watching on a big-screen TV on the grounds and, of course, the millions of British watching on TV. "Imagine playing it," Murray said in his on-court interview. But he closed it out on this cloudless, 80-degree day on tennis' most famous court. He put his name beside that of Fred Perry, the last British man to win Wimbledon, back in 1936. Those words don't have to be written again. "He's someone that I've obviously never met, but is quite relevant in my career really," Murray said.

The second-seeded Murray beat the best in Djokovic -- top-ranked and a six-time Grand Slam tournament winner known for both a mental and physical fitness built to handle what he faced Sunday: A crowd full of overheated partisans rooting against him, to say nothing of Murray himself. "The atmosphere was incredible for him. For me, not so much, but this is what I expected," Djokovic said. Since falling to Roger Federer in the final last year, Murray had shed some baggage by winning the Olympic gold medal on Centre Court, then following that with his first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open. The U.S. Open win ended a 76-year drought for the British in the Grand Slams. This one? Even sweeter. "The pinnacle of tennis," Murray called the Wimbledon win. "I worked so hard in that last game, the hardest few points I ever played in my life." When he finally wrapped it up, he let his racket fall to the turf, took his hat off and pumped his fist toward the crowd. Later, he climbed to the guest box where his girlfriend, Kim Sears, and his coach, Ivan Lendl, were among those sweating this one out.

Born a week apart in May 1987 -- Djokovic in Belgrade when it was part of Yugoslavia, and Murray in Glasgow, Scotland -- these top two players came up together through the elite junior-tennis ranks and are now building the best tennis rivalry of the 2010s. This was their third meeting in the last four Grand Slam finals and all have been riveting affairs. Murray won a five-setter at the U.S. Open; Djokovic won in four at Australia; and this time, a three-setter at Wimbledon that felt like something more. Djokovic went up a break in both the second and third sets and, both times, appeared to have wrested at least a bit of control and quieted a crowd that included Prime Minister David Cameron. But Murray dug his way out both times. In the second set, he set up break point with a sharply angled forehand that Djokovic couldn't handle, and the Serb responded with a double-fault, one of four on the day.

In the third set, Murray lost four straight games to fall behind 4-2, but got the break back and -- eventually -- closed it out by winning the last four games as the roars from every corner of Centre Court grew louder. "The atmosphere today was different to what I've experienced in the past," Murray said. "It was different to last year's final, for sure. And then, the end of the match, that was incredibly loud, very noisy. I've been saying it all week, but it does make a difference. Especially in a match as tough as that one, where it's extremely hot, brutal, long rallies, tough games. They help you get through it." Trailing 5-4 in the third, Djokovic rushed out to the court after the break -- a man who seemingly wanted to get it over with. Murray quickly went ahead 40-0 and it looked like it was time to cue the Duke of Kent for the trophy presentation. But the next few minutes felt like forever. Djokovic saved the first three championship points, then had three break opportunities of his own. Couldn't convert any.

Then, finally, Murray put it away when Djokovic rifled a backhand into the net. A few minutes later, the 26-year-old Murray, was kissing the trophy. How might things have progressed if Djokovic had pulled out that game? "I don't know," was all he offered. Djokovic came into the match on the heels of a 4-hour, 43-minute semifinal victory over Juan Martin del Potro in similarly parched conditions on Friday. He conceded that match took a lot out of him but "I've been in these situations before. I felt OK." Indeed, he rarely wears out, but Murray and the linesmen combined for a one-two punch, and punctured the 2011 Wimbledon champion's typically calm, almost robotic, demeanor. Murray's withering groundstrokes and his patience from behind the line helped him take the first set. Then slowly, Djokovic shifted his strategy, mixing in drop shots with frequent trips to the net -- neither of which are considered his specialty. He won 30 of 52 trips to the net, compared to 26 for 37 for his opponent.

"I wasn't patient enough in the moments when I should have been," Djokovic said. The impatience resulted in 40 unforced errors against 31 winners -- an uncommonly average ratio for the world's top-ranked player -- compared to 36 winners and 21 unforced errors by Murray. Meanwhile, Djokovic found himself in what, at times, felt like an ongoing dialogue with chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani, as a number of close calls went against him. Djokovic had used up all three of his second-set challenges by the middle of the eighth game. At the end of that game, after another close call on the baseline went against him, Djokovic raised his hands toward the heavens, showing another trace of frustration that rarely hits him. Murray, meanwhile, kept his cool through it all, even if the sweat that drenched his Wimbledon-white shirt made it nearly see-through at times. In addition to the trophy, Murray earned 1.6 million pounds ($2.4 million) and got that long-awaited invitation to the black-tie champion's dinner, set for later Sunday night.

"It was a privilege to watch (at)Andy-Murray making history at (hash)Wimbledon, and making Britain proud," tweeted the Prime Minister. Indeed, on this day, the hoorahs were coming from every corner of the kingdom. "I can confirm," a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said, "that the Queen has sent a private message to Andy Murray following his Wimbledon victory." Who was really the last Brit to win a Wimbledon final? - Mirror Online Sport Who was really the last Brit to win a Wimbledon final? Who were the last Brits to claim Wimbledon titles in the men's singles, women's singles, mens doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles events? We bring you right up to speed Share Triple crown: Fred Perry claimed three consecutive titles between 1934-1936 (Photo: Hulton Archive) Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Men's singles final No British man has won the singles event at Wimbledon since Fred Perry completed his hat-trick of championships in 1936. Until now, Bunny Austin was the last Brit to get there - in 1938.

Austin power: Bunny Austin was the last British male to reach the Wimbledon men's singles final, way back in 1938 (Photo: Getty) Andy Murray plays Roger Federer in this year's final as the first Brit to reach the Wimbledon men's final in 74 years. It's a far cry from 1877 to 1904 where every final was contested by the British. Australian Norman Brookes crashed the party as runner up in 1905 before winning in 1907. How brash of him. (Photo: Wikipedia) Women's singles final No British woman has won the women's singles since Virginia Wade did so in 1977. Jubilee celebration: Virginia Wade triumphed on Silver Jubilee year in 1977. Could Andy Murray do it in Diamond Jubilee year? (Photo: Getty) Annabel Croft (1984) and Laura Robson (2008) have both won the Girls' Championship - that counts, right? Men's doubles This year Jonathan Marray became the first Briton to make the men’s doubles final in 52 years, since Bobby Wilson and Mike Davies did so in 1960.

He and partner Freddie Neilsen went on to triumph in five sets . Britain's last winners, in 1936, were Patrick Hughes and Raymond Tuckey. At the double: Brit Jonathan Marray (left) and Frederik Nielsen have reached this year's men's doubles final at Wimbledon (Photo: Getty) Women's doubles Virginia Wade was runner up with Francoise Durr (French) in 1970, following Ann Haydon Jones - also with Francoise Durr - in 1968. (Durr was a losing doubles finalist six times without every winning). Anglea Buxton was the last Brit to win the title with American Althea Gibson in 1956. The best year was 1955 - all 4 finalists were Brits - with Angela Mortimer and Anne Shilcock beating Patricia Ward Hales and Shirley Brasher Broomer. Golden year: All four finalists in the women's doubles in 1955 were British.

The match was eventually won by Angela Mortimer, (left) and Anne Shilcock (Photo: Getty) Mixed doubles Andy's older brother Jamie Murray won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2007 with Jelena Jankovic. He was the first Briton to do so since the all-British triumph of Jeremy Bates and Jo Durie in 1987. Murray's mint: Jamie Murray was able helped by Serbia's Jelena Jankovic as they took mixed doubles glory at Wimbledon in 2007 (Photo: Getty) Wheelchair Ladies' finals Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley became the first all-British wheelchair tennis pair to reach a Wimbledon final this year. They play Griffoen and Van Koot on Sunday.

Looking for glory: Wheelchair duo Lucy Shuker (left) and Jordanne Whiley reached the women's doubles final this year (Photo: Getty) Most Read Most Recent Most Read Most Recent Virginia Wade: a Wimbledon champion written out of British history | Sport | The Guardian Pass notes Virginia Wade: a Wimbledon champion written out of British history The Andy Murray headlines have ignored the fact that a Briton won a Wimbledon singles title in 1977. Ah, but she was a woman Virginia Wade with her trophy after winning the Wimbledon women's singles championship in 1977. Photograph: Pa/PA Archive/Press Association Ima Monday 8 July 2013 07.18 EDT First published on Monday 8 July 2013 07.18 EDT Age: 67. Appearance: Airbrushed. Out of history. Who or what is Virginia Wade ? Until last Sunday, the last British tennis player to win Wimbledon. Huh? When? 36 years ago. Back in 1977. Then how come I've never heard of her? Because journalists have forgotten she exists. Ouch.

And, on the front page of the Telegraph: "After 77 years, the wait is over. " Oof. And, on the front page of the Daily Mail: "Andy Murray ends 77 years of waiting for a British champion." Jeez. Even the Daily Mail forgot about her win? Yep. Which is especially unforgivable, since they also published an interview with her, in which she told the paper: "You never forget how it feels to win Wimbledon." Incredible. So where does the 77-year figure come from? That's the figure for the men's championships. The last British man to win before Murray was Fred Perry in 1936. Meaning the real wait was actually just 41 years? No, in reality, British tennis fans were never made to wait at all. Dorothy Round Little won the women's singles – for the second time in her career – one year later, in 1937. So there have been two British winners since? No, actually there have been four. Four British women have won Wimbledon since Fred Perry? Yep.

Partially deaf player Angela Mortimer won the championship in 1961, and underdog Ann Haydon-Jones beat legend of the sport Billie Jean King to win again in 1969. This is a dark day for sports journalism, isn't it? Afraid so. But a good day for feminist writer Chloe Angyal, whose tweet "Murray is indeed the first Brit to win Wimbledon in 77 years unless you think women are people" has been re-tweeted, at time of writing, 9,425 times. That's a lot, right? It is. But it only really counts when men re-tweet it. Do say: "If Murray wins, he's British. If he loses, he's Scottish." Don't say: "If Wade wins, she's forgotten."

Question: Who was the last British tennis player to win the men's singles at Wimbledon?
Answer: FRED PERRY